Freedom: Kagome's Song
by Totally Kawaii
Summary: [AU] Freedom. A simple word with a myriad of definitions. Truth cloaked beneath layers and layers of fabrications. What is freedom? A soul in the shadows, shackled to another’s dreams, searches for a song she could call her own. [OOC]
1. Chapter 1

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_**Freedom:**_

_**Kagome's Song**_

**by Totally Kawaii**

_an Inuyasha fic_

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**Summary:** (AU) Freedom. A simple word with a myriad of definitions. Truth cloaked beneath layers and layers of fabrications. What is freedom? A soul in the shadows, shackled to another's dreams, searches for a song she could call her own.

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**Dedicated to two very special friends of mine:**

_**Fluffy-chan and Zosia-chan  
**_

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"_So I was the one with all the glory,_

_while you were the one with all the strength._

_A beautiful face without a name for so long._

_A beautiful smile to hide the pain."_

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**_Chapter One:_ **

"Settle down, settle down," Chuuko Kaede called disapprovingly, her lips forever pursed in her signature scowl. "_Yes_, including you, Takahashi."

The young man in question had a tanned face with broad features that hinted at his cocky nature. The trademark smirk that came with the reluctant obedience made the infamous Takahashi Inuyasha even more desirable. And not only to the female population.

"Keh," he replied gruffly with a turn of the head, conceding the match. Winning a glaring contest against a one-eyed old hag just wasn't worth the effort sometimes. His hair glinted brightly under the artificial florescent lights.

"Now that we've all settled down," continued the wrinkled teacher, acting as though she hadn't just come out of _yet another_ bout of sorts against her least favorite student. "I would like to announce a new student. Please come in, Higurashi."

Many males looked eagerly to see if it was yet another hot babe. The girls all looked uninterested, but the calculating glint in their eyes told otherwise. All were ready to do everything imaginable to secure their places on the social ladder. The slouching figure in front of them was instantly dismissed. Her clothing should have been made illegal to save people's eyes from the shame of having looked upon them. No one would definitely be caught dead with _her_.

"I-I'm Higurashi Kagome," she stuttered before fleeing to the only empty chair – the one _no one_ would dare take unless given express permission from the owner of the seat behind it, Takahashi. Of course, she _was_ a new girl, so he might cut her some slack. Maybe. And it _was_ the only seat.

"Now class…" Kaede continued. "We'll be…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Classes were too easy and, as the son of the legendary businessman Inutaisho, being naturally smart was a given. However, it looked good on _any_ job transcript that he had undergone a school known for its emphasis on academics, so he had to endure excruciating boredom. His eyes roved over to the person in front of him.

_Her name sounds really lame_, Inuyasha thought, immediately feeling a sense of déjà vu. _She's… weird._ Rebellious or not, he did want to keep his reputation intact to stop dumb shits from challenging his 'throne' of sorts. Lingering thoughts on a freak of a new girl would definitely show him to be slightly weak… if only Ookami could hear his thoughts now.

So, sinking deep into his thoughts and ignoring the figure in front of him, he thought of his next ingenious prank to pull on the unsuspecting faculty of his fair school.

… _so the catapult would launch the principal's Ferrari into the gym (how the hell did a guy whose job required him to babysit stupid little morons get a Ferrari?) and…_

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"Ne? Was it this way?" _Stupid stupid stupid! Miss Aya would have happily given you a map but did you accept it? Nooo! And now we're stuck and lost! Now you've done it! You and your damned pride._

The high school building wasn't like ordinary schools. They were in picturesque little buildings that looked like they dated back to Sengoku Jidai. They were made out of wood fifty years ago, relatively new for a school. Their classes were spread between five buildings, each containing around seven to ten classrooms. Each construction had a wooden plaque hung on it with one of the five elements: 'Water', 'Fire', 'Earth', 'Wind', and 'Void'. There was grass all around and a pebbled path that led twisting routes throughout the campus. Off to one side, there was also a very Japanese-style garden.

It seemed as though the students stepped into the past. However, the classrooms and materials inside the rooms were fairly modern-looking and the books were updated. Right now, her schedule told her she had her subject to go to _now_, but it didn't say anything else. _How the hell am I supposed to know which building to go to?_

"Our school has a very philosophical way of doing things," a voice behind her stated. The confused new student turned around and met purple eyes so dark, they were almost black. His nose was almost girly in its proportions, straight and delicate.

"More like fucked up," scoffed his friend. Kagome vaguely acknowledged him as the guy who sat behind her. He had a masculine appeal about him. She received the vague impression of a temperamental nature by the defiant tilt of his jaw and the stubbornness in his stance. His hair was longer than his friend's, probably reaching mid-back, although Kagome didn't allow her eyes to stray further than down his waist, just in case he accused her of staring. She didn't know whether or not he was that kind of person, and just didn't want to risk it.

"Now, now, Inu," their third and final companion placated him. He looked as though he could be a female. Actually, Kagome wasn't even sure that … _**it**_ was a boy. Seemingly a trend with the trio, his – _**its!**_ – hair was also rather longer than conventional for most Asians. Its face was slight and fine-boned, but the square of its shoulders could say otherwise. Now… how to put this delicately…?

"Are you a girl?" Kagome blurted out, then slapped her hands over her mouth and turned an interesting shade of darker-than-tomato red.

Surprisingly enough, the he-she wasn't the one who turned red. The hotheaded one did, but perhaps it was from lack of air. He was trying really hard not to breathe so that he wouldn't burst out laughing. _Jakotsu's my friend. Jakotsu's my – screw that! _His resolve failed.

_Eventually, _Inuyasha stopped laughing. Miroku even snorted once or twice, while Jakotsu looked indignant. "I'm a guy, thanks! And what are _you_ supposed to be? A girl? Your chest is so flat, the walls are jealous."

Kagome could feel her cheeks reddening. Her bust, or lack of, had always been a sensitive spot with her, especially with Kikyou's generous cleavage. "Insensitive jerk! I know we all sprang from apes, but, apparently, _you_ didn't spring far enough. If you were twice as smart, you'd still be stupid!"

"Shut up! You'll never be the woman your dad was!"

They glared at each other in an age-long battle for dominance. Ultimately, though, there was a grudging respect for the other one who just _wouldn't back down, dammit!_ As though they had an invisible cue, both started giggling uncontrollably before settling down to a final truce.

"I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot. My mouth tends to shoot off before my brain has a chance to process the dust it left behind. I'm Kagome," she said, bowing in the traditionally Japanese way of greeting.

"I guess I'm sort of grouchy sometimes, too. I'm Jakotsu, and these are my friends, Inuyasha and Miroku."

"My dearest Kagome – " Miroku grasped her hand and took a deep breath, looking up. Then, he froze, contemplatively, before continuing. "Anyway, as I was saying, our school as a funny little way of doing it. To some, it's fucked up, while to others, such as myself, it's a challenge. Each class is classified for different elements. You _do_ know the five elements, right? The basis of the universe?"

"Yeah… there's _Chi_ (earth), _Sui_ (water), _Ka_ (fire), _Fū_ (wind) and _Kū_ (void, or sky)." Since her grandfather was a Shinto priest, he thought that learning the companion religion to Shinto, Buddhism, would be beneficial to a budding miko's teachings. Of course, the fact that Kagome would eventually tour the world with half of her family was lost on him.

"Well, each of the subjects are in one of these five buildings," offered Jakotsu once it seemed as though Miroku was lost in thought and unable to find his way back. "Your objective is to find which one it belongs to the most. From there, you can find which classroom it is. It's kinda tiresome to go through each of the buildings since some of them are widely spread."

"Wow, this is complicated," her mouth absentmindedly said, her eyes occupied with her schedule._Japanese History? What would that be under? _"Would Japanese History be under _Fū _because this shows will _and_ as Japan grew physically, as it did mentally?"

Miroku seemed to snap back to reality. He looked over her shoulder and glanced at her schedule. His hand lingered near hers so that he could tilt the sheet of paper in a way that he could read it. "Good guess, though, but no. Japanese History's under_ Ka_, because of its forceful energy and motivation. Through the willpower of the Japanese warlords in Sengoku Jidai, for example, they spread their power."

"It's okay… you'll get the hang of it," Jakotsu assured her with a know-it-all grin. "Why don't I let Inuyasha take you to there? He has World History, too."

"Sure." Kagome waved goodbye as Miroku and Jakotsu entered the_ Sui_ building. She looked around frantically, panic beginning to make itself known. Inuyasha didn't seem to notice though, since he was intent on scrutinizing her.

_No wonder Roku didn't propose to you. _If Kagome could read minds, Inuyasha would have been in pretty deep shit by now._ You're pretty ugly compared to most girls. But still, he goes lech on most people, whether they're ugly or not. And what Jak said was true, too._

"Are you coming?" Kagome asked waspishly, not hiding the irritation. To stay in this school, the condition was she had to earn excellent grades. At the rate this brute was going, she would enter the classroom by the time the bell rang. "I don't know which building's _Ka_, and you're my 'guide'."

"Yeah, whatever. Follow me, wench. Didn't the secretary give you your map? Or did your pride stop you from getting a map?" He could _feel_ her bristle behind him and he hid a smirk. He had forgotten how good the feeling was to rile up defensive girls like Sango, Ayame and, now, Kagome.

She tried breathing slowly in and out, partly to calm her raging temper and partly to stop the blush from getting to noticeable. "Miss Aya just… it was _nothing_, you _jerk_!"

"Miss… Aya?" he echoed, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. "Oh… you mean the secretary. Miss Asuka? Nanami Asuka? I wonder how you got 'Aya'."

She could tell he was trying to suppress a chuckle. _Stupid, dumbassed, tiny-brained __**JERK**__! Keep my temper… I can't get afford to get any demerits this early in the school year!_

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_**Dear Diary,**_

_**I know it's girly to have a diary. **__**I**__** think it shouldn't be! I'm not girly, am I? I hope not! My little brother'll never let me hear the end of it if I do! **_

_**I met the most amazing student today. Imagine this: blue, blue eyes; silky black hair**__**charming smile. Is this what… infatuation is like? I don't think I've acted like this around **__**anyone**__** else. I sound gay, don't I? Still… **_

_**Just one look, and I feel like every pore in my body melts. I don't wanna be like those people who just flutter their eyes and wait. I want those eyes to look at only **__**me**__** with **__**the**__** special look for me. A part of me wants to move in. But… if I'm rejected, I would be crushed.**_

_**I'm trying to go by it day by day. Still, I love just tasting the name. Trying it out. The 'K' and the 'A's roll off easily. **_

_**Kagome**_

_**The minute I looked at her – really, **__**really**__** looked at her, I couldn't go perverted. I could barely even get words out, much less ask her to bear my child or grope her ass! I hope she didn't notice my blunder, but she noticed **__**me**__**. And, maybe – someday! – that she'll love me in turn.**_

_**- Miroku**_

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"Ne, Grandpa, d'you know what happened to Sango? Why wasn't she at school today?" Kagome was curled up on the sofa, her hands circling a plate of warm pie. Relishing the smell of the thick scent of _food_, she grabbed a spork and dug in.

"Sango? Oh, that girl back then? I liked her… her family tree dates back to generations of respectable demon slayers."

"Grandpa, no such things as demons, remember? I swear, you have the most active imagination in the house – and Shippo's four!"

"In any case, she went away for a foreign exchange program." The Sunset Shrine was by no means luxurious, but it was still home to Grandpa. He refused to move into the flashy homes Kagome's mother would persuade him to look at. Kagome could kind of tell why. To her, the Shrine was a home, too. None of the other places felt like she belonged there. "I showed her parents the pamphlets. It was a very opportune chance. She'll come back in two months"

"Whaa?!" Not many things were enough to distract Kagome from food, especially oden and all things sweet, but this little tidbit was enough to tear her away from the mouth-watering snack. "But, Grandpa! How could you do that?! I wanted to see Sango!"

"Well, your visit _was_ meant to be a surprise, right? You can't blame your old Grandpa for wanting the best for this random girl when his only granddaughter is off gallivanting in Paris and New York and America…"

"Grandpa… New York's _in_ America," she informed her grandfather, sweatdropping. Sometimes, the old guy could be really oblivious. "I guess it's okay. I'll just have to wait for a little while."

_Two months?! Without a friend in this school where your social status is your ticket to freedom? God… I won't last a day._

Then, her thoughts turned to her new, albeit unexpected, friend – Jakotsu. And maybe Miroku and Inuyasha. And the really nice girl beside her in English, Shiori. Things didn't look so bleak after all.

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He shot forward, sword a hair's breadth away from his opponent's torso. The sword itself didn't look to be something special. It was a normal katana, perhaps slightly old and a little rusty, but still as sharp as the day it was first forged. However, it was the history behind it that was a little odd. One of his numerous inheritances, it was one of the only ones he_bonded_ to. He _liked_ the odd little katana, choosing to use it more often than the imported broadswords and newly invented little rapiers that were designed to nip through an opponent's ribs in an instant.

The masked foe twisted sinuously sidestepping one blundering attack after another. In his head, he scoffed contemptuously. _Even if he has power and the advantage in weapons, he still won't win unless he gets his act together._ One finely manicured hand reached for _his_ choice weapon of the day, a beautifully crafted scythe, sharp enough to lope off someone's head. He stopped evading, frozen long enough to reevaluate his center of balance, then lunged for the neck.

Black strands of hair floated to the ground. The katana-wielder hissed in annoyance. His long hair was a point of pride, something that seemed vaguely girly to him. He didn't care. Part of his reputation was centered on his locks. Anything that vaguely _insults_ it was a direct threat to him. And this bastard cut some of it off.

Slashes, stabs, parries, and even a few illegal kicks to the groin. The sparring seemed to be more of a dance, if anything. Two opposites seem to conjoin into a performance rivaling the works of the best choreographers. It was dangerous and beautiful.

Finally, one was pinned down. Blundering, reckless, furious attacks won over the distant, calculating, and fluid motions. For today.

"You shouldn't have cut off my hair, you bastard." Inuyasha spat at his brother, still enraged at the small uneven patches in his hair. Really, you wouldn't even notice the loss of a lock, with his tangled and unruly hair.

"All's fair," Sesshoumaru replied. "It is not as though I would deliberately cut your _precious _hair." His slightly creepy, and very tiny fanged grin said otherwise, but_no one_ dared counter Sesshoumaru's statements. This made him extremely efficient in debates, with nobody to act as the rebuttal.

"Keh. Whatever. When are you gonna take that stick outta your ass, _aniki_?" The sarcasm in his voice seemed practically tangible in the thick air of the underground dojo.

"I shall ignore your childish statement. Goodbye. It was… interesting sparring with you, but fun time is over. Unlike some people, I have a job to get to."

He stepped into the elevator and whipped out his cellphone. While the elevator went through the underground parking lot to the ground floor, he got the number ready to dial. Takahashi Sesshoumaru was nothing but efficient. By the time the double doors had parted open, his thumb had pressed the green button. In a swift motion, the small device was to his ear.

"Hello? Ms. Shuensha?" _I have to upgrade my cellphone soon. I can see scratches. _Of course, they were thin, tiny, and practically nonexistent, but excellence was a theme with this perfectionist. Nothing less was to be expected from the son of Inutaisho.

"Ah… Mr. Itokuzu." She peered into the mirror, applying her lip gloss carefully. Appearance was important in her world. The aforementioned 'Ms. Shuensha' had a semi-casual meeting with someone important today so she didn't require her attendants to apply her makeup on for her. "Right on time, as always."

"Yes, I have the papers ready to sign." He nodded to the doorman at the front door of the mansion. The doorman nodded back, privy to the elusive young heir's eccentric habits. Valets were immediately alerted – Sesshoumaru's car was required!

"Shall I meet you at the usual spot?" she asked, combing her already tangle-free, poker-straight black hair. The milky beauty looked at herself in the mirror before sweeping her formidable hair into a relaxed ponytail.

"Excellent. Pleasure doing business with you, as always." Sesshoumaru revved up the convertible. Like his client, he had someone influential to meet with, therefore impressions counted. He schooled his features, the only emotion left was a calculating glint in his bright, light brown eyes.

"Oh, no… it's _my_pleasure. Have I ever told you how I'd be _nothing_ without you?" she teased, preparing to banter as friends, but nothing more. They'd known each other before, as children, and it was completely unexpected when the two friends were assigned to one another.

"Sorry… I have an important client, Kyo. I won't have time to talk today."

"It's okay Sess. I know you're kinda busy. Maybe next time, huh?"

An analyzing last glance took in her appearance from head to toe, kind of like a last-minute review for all who asked. Louis Vuitton... Tiffany's... Versace... Donna Karan... Christian Dior. She didn't necessarily like the fact that she had to memorize every single aspect of her life and how she had to get herself out of sticky situations when too-nosy reporters spotted the rare loophole in her appearances and character. But she had to. It was expected of her and, true to her upbringing, she merely swallowed any misgivings she had and _did it_.

"Looking forward to it."

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or anything you may recognize. I might not even own the plot, as this may seem cliché. Still, I do the best I can, and I wrote it. The song is not mine either, that's Bette Midler, who, while not my favorite artist, sang the song. The brands named are not mine.

_(Note to readers... and Zosia-chan because I know she's going to read this and I can't send emails to friends on weekdays or 'chat' with them...) I can't chat on the weekdays, which means I can only send the chapters off to my unofficial beta(s) on the weekends. Which means the chapters have to be finished by Friday. And since I have a social life outside of that means very little time. I'll probably update once every two weeks. Please forgive this horrible author for OOC-ness._

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	2. Chapter 2

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_**Freedom:**_

_**Kagome's Song**_

**by Totally Kawaii**

_an Inuyasha fic_

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**Summary:** (AU) Freedom. A simple word with a myriad of definitions. Truth cloaked beneath layers and layers of fabrications. What is freedom? A soul in the shadows, shackled to another's dreams, searches for a song she could call her own.

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_**Chapter Two:**_

The minute she got out of the car, she was bombarded with the bright light flashes that seem to haunt her wherever she happened to go. She'd gotten used to it ever since she was younger and now it seemed to be a part of her. "Shuensha! Shuensha! Your outfit is simply magnificent today."

"Why thank you, Nanako. Do you like it? It's Versace and the jeans are Donna Karan. You're from the Japanese branch of Vogue, ne? You have excellent taste." She consciously straightened her shoulders in a move that Ryoko labeled Number Fifty-Two: flaunting herself without seeming to be conscious or boastful about it.

"Shuensha! Is it true? Have you hooked up with Izumi Motoya, Prince of Kyogen?"

The statuesque young woman laughed, a tinkling little sound that she'd practiced over and over again with Ryoko. "No, it's not true. Izumi-_kun,_" She made sure to emphasize the suffix attached to his last name to show a form of closeness that was definitely not intimacy, "and I are just friends."

At last, she had reached the massive building. It was a restaurant exclusively for those with money. Five-star, it was an excellent place to make business deals because of the aloof atmosphere and the quality food. Of course, people with money could come here to enjoy the delicacies made by one of the best chefs in Japan. The downside was that many of the reporters and general paparazzi would stalk this place whenever there wasn't anything happening.

The person she was meeting was right there, at one of the best tables in the house. It was a circular table only meant for two, but this was by no means a romantic date. She bowed to the famous director, a stout man with very little hair.

"Thank you for meeting me, Mr. Ikazuchi. I know you have an extremely busy schedule." When he gestured for her to take a seat, she gracefully slid into the one opposite of him.

"Please. When the famous Shuensha asked for me to come with her to the Golden Eagle, I had to accept."

"Order anything you like. Since it was I who asked you here, it's only fitting that I pay for your meal." A flash of white. Even Manten Ikazuchi, slow compared to his more famous older brother, Hiten, could tell the implications this move had.

"You're too kind. I must repay the favor some other time." This was a little power game often played by the ones who could afford to. The other always knew that they had enough money – this was no inconvenience. Still, being indebted to someone… _anyone_ was a blow to one's pride – and wallet. Once they had ordered, the waiter brought them a chilled bottle of their finest wine.

"Let's get on to business, shall we? I must admit… I was surprised when you contacted _me_, of all people. I thought you were a singer and a model, not an actress. Are you aiming to be a triple threat, Ms. Kikyou Akai?"

_So… he researched my name. _Her mind, trained for this intricate worlsd from birth, was already calculating the damages, or benefits, those three little words had stirred up._ No matter… that's pretty commonplace. He's probably already realized Mama's position and Papa's. Still… he doesn't know anything more about me – that, I'm sure about. Sess has got some friends in high places, especially in the Internet. Yes, I'm sure he doesn't know anything more about me._

The waiters approached them, setting down their orders: the Lobster Deluxe for the director Ikazuchi Manten and the Nasi Goreng for Shuensha. Akitoki Hojo thanked all his seven lucky stars for the new system of assigning which tables belonged to whom. A couple of months ago, behind the scenes in the kitchen, people were practically beating each other up and drawing rigged straws to attend tables of famous people, like Yukino Satsuki.

"No, I may not be an actress, but I _can_ be, with your help. I'm not looking to be a triple threat, as you so eloquently put. Although, singing is an amazing opportunity to convey my feelings to the multitude, I just want to broaden my views and expand my knowledge."

"I… see. I think I understand. I'll be blunt with you, Ms. Akai. You have a high chance of being in my upcoming movie, Ayashi no Ceres. Very high chance. However, for formality's sake, I'll have my people talk to your agent, all right? Make it as though I offered you the deal, not vice versa. Thank you for showing an interest in Ayashi no Ceres. I would say how much I hope it will be a success, but I don't want to jinx it."

"So… about this new movie. I've heard so much praise from Mr. Takahashi about this new venture, but I have yet to hear about the plot." She cut a small piece of meat from the kebab and chewed it carefully. Hm… she could see why the food here was highly praised.

"Well, it's still in progress, but the main plot basically revolves around a teenage girl named Aya and her twin brother Aki, members of a rich and influential family. On their sixteenth birthday, they are given a sort of test, which Aya failed. She is supposedly a reincarnation of a tennyō (celestial maiden), and when she remembers flashes of her previous life, she will transform into Ceres, the tennyō. According to the legend, if left to live, the reincarnation of Ceres will bring ruin upon the family. Aya becomes hunted by her own family."

_This seems familiar, _Kikyou thought, racking her brains for any scenario that seemed similar to this one. She gave up midway and lost herself in the engrossing tale.

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_A few months later…_

Kagome was late. As usual.

_You'd think someone who wants good grades as much as I do would want to actually hear _all_ of the classes this time. _Muttering a quiet obscenity, she stopped for a second to adjust a shoe that almost fell off. The adolescent smiled grimly and, with a renewed effort, continued sprinting towards class, dirt flying in her wake.

Tiptoeing into the building, she crinkled her nose as she tried to silently slide open the door. _Slowly… slowly… _There were people moving around in the principal's office, which was right nearby. Hopefully, they won't open the door and see the senior trying to sneak in.

"Higurashi!" Kagome winced at the shrill tone. _So much for trying to sneak into class. _"You're late! _Again_! I'm through with ignoring such a blatant display of disregard for school rules! Next time, you'll get a detention and five percent off of your final grade!"

"Sorry, Mr. Nomi," apologized Kagome, trying to look sincere and nodding gravely.

She slumped into her seat. Murmurs flared immediately after being temporarily distracted by the disheveled sight. _Why can't I be early? _She screamed at herself, doubly annoyed. _You think a celebrity can do anything._

Kagome was the sister of the famous singer and model, Shuensha – not that anyone in her school knew. A few months ago, she was living the life – home-schooled with her sister and brother, with most of her time dedicated to attending the hottest parties in the limelight.

But, a second glance at her life made her realize how empty and shallow her accomplishments were. Despite her family's protests, her mind was made up. She decided to return to her small hometown, Utashinai. With only a population of less than 6000 people, there was a smaller chance of people recognizing her. Of course, that meant the gossip could spread faster, but it was a risk she was willing to take.

"Now that Higurashi is here," Nomi Myouga declared sourly. "I would like to announce that we have an old student returning today from the Little Sister/Brother Program. Please welcome back Taijiya Sango." Kagome perked up. Her best friend from her '_old'_ life was back! _A whole other lifetime without backstabbing wannabe singers and grouchy directors. _

One of the most infamous girls in school walked in, her unconventional Converse shoes padding softly on the wooden floor. Every female in that particular class sighed, more often than not in distaste of her grunge look than actual envy. A few boys dared to be open with their crushes on the person who was widely known as the 'frigid undatable bitch'. Anything other than a want to be friends is received with a glare; it's almost a one-way ticket to the hospital for the guys who got fresh.

_Everyone_ wanted to be her friend… some wanted more. However, Taijiya Sango let only a precious few into her 'core' clique. She was selective and by no means popular. She scorned the social barrier that governed friendships and relationships.

Still, virtually everyone was surprised when her dark brown eyes roved the room and, upon landing on the newest geek in school, gave a shriek and tackled her to the ground.

"_Kaagome_," Sango squealed, outwardly revealing her innermost personality: a five-year-old. "It's been so long – what? Five years? More? Oh my God! What are you wearing? I thought a – " Her babble was immediately ceased by the hand put over her motor mouth.

"Not here, Sango," Kagome said in an undertone, casting looks at the people watching them. "At lunch, okay?" But she couldn't hide the joy that crept into her tone at the fact that she had her best friend back. Confused, Sango merely nodded and, with her unlimited reserves of bubbling confidence, glared at the person next to Kagome, who immediately scampered to an empty seat.

She sat down and smiled angelically at the teacher as if nothing happened. The teacher snapped out of the trance and immediately started on trigonometry, much to Kagome's dismay. No one was listening; too busy trying to comprehend the fact that while Sango shot down their offers of friendship, this month's democratically chosen 'Geek of the Week' three weeks in a row was accepted the first two seconds she met Sango.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha stared at Kagome, who was bright red from all the glares shot at the back of her head. He was befuddled by the sudden turn of events. He knew his friend Sango didn't befriend just _anyone_, and it seemed as though they knew each other already. If this wasn't mysterious, what was?

_Wonder what's for lunch?_

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Shippo sighed, a rather deep, melancholy one for a small boy his age. His brows were furrowed in concentration, a young Da Vinci working on his Mona Lisa. Tiny hands clumsily grasped a crayon and his tongue poked out from the side of his lip.

Grandpa was busy and his big sister, Kagome, was at school. It was really boring when there's nothing to do and nobody to play with. Drawing could only provide so much in terms of relieving boredom. The crayon in his hand was as green as the plants around the shrine during springtime. He scribbled furiously near the top before adding a sienna brown 'trunk' to support the leaves.

Kagome was back, but Shippo didn't quite know what to make of it. It just used to be him and Grandpa and the 'girl's touch' in the house was obvious because of the spotless dishes and the dust-free closets. He also couldn't talk about his day in daycare anymore. Usually, he could blabber all he wanted, and Grandpa would just nod, deaf to his chatter. That's what was silently established between the two males. Now, though, his big sister would gush over the stupidest things.

He carefully picked out a black wax crayon, shaking long bangs from his eyes. Painstakingly outlining a figure, he then scribbled a thatch of something that was _supposed_ to be hair. The clothes were purple and green, horribly mismatched but somehow he made it work. The feet lumped at the bottom under two stalks of legs seemed almost as big as the head.

He liked Kagome better than Souta, obviously. Not that he didn't like Souta. But Souta was a guy, so he gave Shippo a hard time and enough noogies to ensure the loss of quite a bit of brain cells. Plus, Souta loved to tease Shippo about his hair, which was not quite brown and not quite red: different from all his siblings.

He didn't know why since everyone else in his family had perfectly normal black hair, but it was an awful in-between color, really, but for some girly reason, both his big sisters liked it. At least, he was really sure Kagome liked it. The only reason he got the idea that Kikyou liked it was because she had a teeny smile whenever she stroked his bangs.

He drew himself next, but something about his height wasn't right. He wasn't that tall compared to his big sister in the picture. However, it was too late to change anything because it was in crayon. Shippo learned the trouble with erasing the waxy stuff the hard way. The little boy whiffed a grunt of frustration. It was really hard being four sometimes.

He really liked to put himself with black hair, but it was so weird. Nobody would recognize him and just assume it was Souta like before. It was annoying altogether when his 'Mama' thought that the amazing self-portrait he was really proud of was mistaken to be Kagome. Back then, Kagome had short hair. Or he had really long hair.

Since he looked sorta freaky without his colored hair, he didn't fill in his hair with black. It didn't matter that his hair was the same color as the tree trunk. It was the closest shade to his real hair, which was okay.

Maybe if Kikyou was here, Shippo would know how to feel. Unlike Kikyou, Kagome fussed over every little boo-boo. Kagome braided his hair in silly little fountains until he almost crossed his eyes in annoyance. Kagome told Souta off every time he even looked at him funny. Kagome played with him whenever she felt like it. Kagome always brought him small presents and candy whenever she came from this-or-that country.

He finished the brightly yellow sun and tried to color in the blue but it accidentally went in places it shouldn't have gone. He savagely whipped out the dark, dark brown crayon and went over the blue until there was almost a hole in the sheet and a stubble of wax for a coloring utensil. _She doesn't have blue eyes!_ If Shippo could be summed up in a nutshell, he was a perfectionist with his artwork.

But unlike Kikyou, Kagome never stayed up all night after a big concert because he was sick with chicken pox and she was the only person in the house who already had it. Well, 'Mama' had it, too, but she was too busy. Kagome never stood up to her own mother when he accidentally drew a picture of his new family on her important papers. Kagome never knelt down beside him and wiped his tears afterwards. Kagome never snuck a few hours later after her mother had yelled at her for defending 'that little brat'.

He stepped back and admired his picture. They were under the Goshinboku and she was holding his hand with a big smile. Kikyou normally didn't smile, but he felt that he was justified in taking artistic liberties with her mouth. Shippo sighed again.

He missed Kikyou a lot sometimes.

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Kagome looked her friend over. Her hair had usually fallen in unruly black waves back in Middle School, the period of time before Shuensha was the Number One Singer in Japan and her family paraded themselves at the 'It' parties. Now, however, her locks were arced in a high ponytail, exposing her bronzed neck.

However, some things just _never_ changed, no matter how many centuries pass. One of these 'things' included Sango's disgust for skirts and dresses, evident in her rebellious way that she continued to wear jeans and pants. But that didn't mean she didn't have _any_… her mother, who had always wished for a properly 'girly' daughter to dress up as a personal Barbie doll, made sure of that.

"Now can we talk?" Sango asked impatiently. She brushed her bangs to the side, as they fell a scant few centimeters past her eyebrows. The bangs prevented the style from looking too tomboyish. Instead, it made it all Sango – cute but practical.

Kagome could sense her impatience. Looking around, she was glad to find that there was no one within hearing range – with or without demonic abilities. Kagome nodded, grinning like an idiot.

"Wai! Kagome! It's been so long." The miko struggled to breathe, once again engulfed in a 'Sango-hug'. _Sango-hugs… kyaaaa! I missed those, and everything about Sango._

"Yeah… come on, Sango, let's sit," Kagome gestured to the spot beside her as she sank down in the sweet-smelling grass. Sango immediately plopped down contentedly and leaned against the rough bark of the tree, to hell with the splinters that would get imbedded into her, previously immaculate, sleeveless white shirt.

"Okay. It's been a looooooong time since I saw you… except on TV and a couple of other stuff, like that commercial for envelopes," she added thoughtfully.

"Sorry. At least I kept in touch! Fluffy hardly lets me talk to _anyone_! He's so bossy! I'm glad Rin is there to calm him down."

"Rin? It sounds really familiar. I think I might have heard of that name somewhere."

"You might've. Rin-chan has a really popular name. She's the only one he loosens up around. Mou! Mama sure knew the right agent to pick. She wanted someone efficient, but could keep our _real_ identity, other than the relatives of Shuensha, private."

"Speaking of your sister's mysterious agent, Fluffy-sama, why did he let you go? Wouldn't people notice if _you_, of all people in the family, went missing? I mean, I understand if Souta took a break or anyone else, but _Kagome_?"

"Nah… Souta lives for the limelight. I swear, he was born to do this. He loves going to the modeling ads and bragging that he's the brother of the elusive artist. And Fluffy's gotten my absence figured out. He gets it… I've lived like this for five years. I need a normal life for a year or two."

"But why? Is it so bad? I thought you liked all the fans and supporters and stuff!"

"I do, but I want a break from the paparazzi and the fakes and the anorexics and bulimics who are pressured to do better. Besides, I missed my Sango-chan!"

"I know," purred Sango, stretching her arms to work out the kinks in her muscles. As a born athlete, staying still for too long made her antsy. "It's nice to have my best friend back. Inuyasha and Miroku are nothing compared to you."

"Have you replaced me with two _boys_, Sango?" Kagome gasped, pretending to have a heart attack at the very thought. Not very convincingly, as she seemed to grab her chest in a move that seemed more retarded than in distress.

"You're my oldest and bestest friend. But remember when I moved to Kyoto? Well, I met Inuyasha and Miroku there. Even after I moved back, we sorta kept in touch. We're still friends, even if Miroku turned into such a pervert. They're also my neighbors. They've never met you, though, even if I might have talked about you quite a bit."

"Really? I've met them. Jakotsu's a real bud. He helped me get through the whole new-school thing. And Shiori, too. Miroku okay, but he's kinda quiet. Inuyasha, I've only seen the first day and from afar. Even then, he's kinda a butt ass."

Sango snorted at Kagome's appropriate choice of words. "Miroku's quiet? That's rare. Has he gone lech on you? You know… grabbed your ass or something else?"

"I know Miroku does that, but he didn't with me. In fact, he's practically a gentleman!"

"_Really_ rare, then. Maybe it's because you're so ugly," mocked Sango, gesturing to her bulky clothing and oversized glasses.

"Gee, thanks, Sango! You're the best!" Her dry, sarcastic tone turned into bouncy curiosity. "How were Shippo and Grandpa? I've seen them and caught up and stuff, but I wanna know what my little brother's _really_ been up to. I haven't seen him for a year and he shot up so fast! I really regret not taking him with me to Tokyo, but he seems really happy having a normal life."

"Shippo's fine. He's in grade school and he's really mischievous. He thrives on the days when he gets to see his favorite nee-chan. Imagine a little boy only seeing his siblings on TV! Still, he's a pretty normal kid, other than the times when he torments the high schoolers, especially Inuyasha." Kagome stiffened at her words, but she tried to play it off as a sudden breeze. They both lapsed into a comfortable silence. They had plenty of time to talk.

"Come on. Let me show you around school. You can keep your new look but I don't want you to pretend like you don't know me." Sango jumped to her feet and tugged on the arms of a reluctant Kagome.

"But I'm supposed to be a nerd!" Kagome protested, trying to wriggle out of it. She was only half-trying, however. Friends who didn't know that a lock of your sister's hair could sell for half a thousand yen was tempting.

"You're still Higurashi Kagome and my best friend! So _come on_!"

"Hey, Sango! Who's the new kid?" a girl called out. Her titian hair was bunched up into two pigtails as rowdy as her personality. Kagome felt a little nervous when she saw the huge grin – her canines were sharp!

"This is Kagome. She's in my class, so you might not know her. I've known her for a while, so she gets the Sango Stamp!" Out of nowhere, Sango whipped out a jumbo seal and slammed it onto Kagome's forehead.

'_**NON-BITCHY'**_ the ink chirped brightly in a bubbly font. The ink was washable, of course, but not for a while. Most new kids accepted by Sango were initiated this way. Those were few and far in-between, but they were lucky.

"You're really lucky that you have Sango's stamp of approval. At least those whore-bitches won't get you," stated Ayame matter-of-factly, glaring over to the end of the corridor. "They're afraid that me and Sango'll kick their scanitly clad little asses."

Kagura and her clones, Kanna and Tsubaki, were dressed in the regulated uniform – with shortened hems and a disgustingly ample amount of cleavage showing. Shamelessly flirting with several men at once; they had men twisted around their little fingers before you could say 'SIT'.

"Yeah, I feel _really_ special," agreed Kagome.

"You'd be surprised, though. Kags and I took defense lessons together. I can kick her butt… _barely_."

"Aww… you're too modest, Sango. I can barely keep up with you! Plus, ever since I've been away, I've also been a little out of shape."

"Hey… lunch is almost over. We'd better get to class."

They split up after a few more minutes. Sango was with Kagome, seeing as how they had identical schedules. (Kagome had a feeling this had something to do with the ever so thoughtful _Fluffy_.) If she closed her eyes and just let the familiar sounds seep through her being, it seemed as though the world had gone back in time. She was an elementary schoolgirl again.

"_You've brought shame upon the family! How dare you?! Do you know how hard I've – you've worked for this? We – you might never recover from such a huge blow!"_

"_No, Mama! Please, don't! I'll do anything! Just – don't hit!"_

"Kagome… are you okay?" Sango looked at her, concerned. She had never looked so stricken before, at least, not on the outside. A couple of years ago, there was this full-fledged family _thing_. She thought her best friend had recovered, but maybe she was more scarred than Sango thought.

"Just fine."

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His office was not quite in the middle of the tall skyscraper, but certainly up there in the top. He had worked his ass off for a long time already, sacrificing the few measly days of 'vacation' workers were allowed and even quitting smoking, just to get noticed by the higher-ups. It was hard work and it would become harder still, yet he persevered. He _will_ succeed, though he doesn't have anything to succeed for.

Green eyes drifted towards an intricately carved frame, gilded and bearing the flowing kanji 'itsumademo', It was propped up in the place where hard-working businessmen and -women put their treasured people, sometimes a partner, a lover or even their family. She was none of the above. Despite the fact that she might as well have been a stranger, she _had_ been in that special spot, now in the businessman's grasp.

A mirthless chuckle filled the too-silent spaces of his room. He leaned back in his leather swivel chair still clutching the picture. The girl's smile was as carefree as though all her troubles were locked away in a little black box, entrusted to someone. Her dress was simple, something her sister had clumsily sewn on but she had never looked happier. There was a large tree in the background and the garden was at its best.

Thanks to years of perfecting the art of lying to himself, he squashed the errant feelings of bitterness away in no time flat. She had always loved to garden, although possessed no green thumb by any means. How much money had mysteriously been transferred from his pocked to this fruitless endeavor by his own hands? Sometimes, he would even steal into her house in the middle of the night just to replace her dying plants with fresh ones. He always teased her about it, saying that she must have been loved by the gods.

"Excuse me, boss? The human resources manager from Italy is here to see you." Trisha was shy but thorough and organized. She also really, really liked him. Anyone could tell by the way she left him chocolates on Valentine's Day even though she wasn't Japanese nor was she living in Japan.

"Thanks, Beatrice." He had hated learning English as a teenager but now his skills were put to the use. "Send him in." About five years of living in England had cultivated his voice to have a slight English pronunciation on words. Mostly though, even he could detect a faint Japanese accent. It always turned out for the best, since they underestimated him and his business savvy.

Mr. Degola entered, a broad-shouldered man with bronzed skin and startling gray eyes. He walked with the kind of fluidly that someone born of the sea maintained despite his bulk. Obviously intimidating, he now used that to his advantage, trying to establish a sort of slight dominance over his boss. The 'boss' merely hid his contempt from his face.

Racist? Yes. Did it actually work? Of course not.

The minute he stepped into the office, Degola Marcus – Marcus Degola, he corrected himself, annoyed at the Western way of having one's first name before their last name – was on _his_ turf. And he rise further than anyone expected just to have a racist person establish a petty little game against him. Oh, no. He didn't know what's going to hit him. His thumb caressed the glass pane like a lover's cheek one more time, before settling it down on the _special_ spot. No, she may not have been a partner, a lover, nor family, but her value was far beyond that.

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Courage. She _had_ to face this dreaded demon of hers. No matter that she wanted to die every single time she stepped through the doors. It was required, or else her mom would probably take away the one thing she'd been actually working so hard to gain. Not to mention the fact that Souta would have that know-it-all smirk on his face. His patented 'I-told-you-that-you-couldn't-pull-off-being-normal-for-a-few-years-so-you-should-just-give-up' look just for her. Wasn't she special?

So, she took a deep breath. She opened the door and flinched as the smell of generations of old chemicals assaulted her. Chemistry. The dreaded subject. The period of time where all but the bravest and the nerdiest cower. She absolutely dreaded chemistry, and the chemistry teacher, and, hell, everything to do with chemistry. And the fact that she sucked at it didn't help, either.

"Hurry up, Ms. Higurashi. We don't have all day. I'm afraid that you missed my announcement of the new chemistry partners. You're apparently with Mr. Ookami. He's just transferred from China as a participant of the Little Sister/Brother Program. He's being shown around by Mr. Houshi."

"Okay, sir. Thanks." Kagome turned around and looked for the only empty seat left. Her eyes found it immediately and she walked up to it. She placed her books on the high table and turned to her seat partner. "Hi, Kouga. My name's Kagome." Adjusting her glasses, she lifted her eyes to his.

_Wow_.

Five foot, seven inches of sizzling hotness. She could feel her insides melt, unable to resist breaking out into a silly grin. His black hair, as luminous and murky as obsidian itself, was long and held in a ponytail. What really made Kagome feel hot and flustered and interested were his eyes. They rivaled her own, piercing shades of ice blue that seemed to impossibly, unbelievably fuel the raging fire that was her willpower.

_They say opposites attract, _her subconscious mocked irony, that which her life was nothing without. He was so very mature for his age and muscular. Not hot-headedly arrogant, or lecherously immature, or just-gay-enough best friend. _And_ he had the sexiest voice ever. "Whatever."

Resisting the urge to giggle like a school girl at her first crush since her return to school life, she slipped into the seat beside him. She was looking forward to chemistry a lot more now…

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or anything you may recognize. I might not even own the plot, as this may seem cliché. Still, I do the best I can, and I wrote it. The Mona Lisa, made by Leonardo da Vinci, is not mine and is currently in the Louvre. Ayashi no Ceres is not mine. It's Yuu Watase's and I borrowed it because I recently watched the interesting, but dark, anime and really liked it!

For anyone who vaguely recognizes the name Yukino Satsuki, it's Kagome's seiyuu. Thought it'd be fun to include that little tidbit. 'Degolas' also means 'ugly' in Italian, to anybody who didn't know. 'Degola' is pretty dang close, wouldn't you say?

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